The Twelve Days of Christmas

Sometimes the days during the festive season all bleed into one, and before you know it, it’s January 4th and you’re back at a desk! Rachel McGuinness has some suggestions for how you might wring every last drop from your Christmas break and start the 4th feeling refreshed.

Saturday 25th December - Day 1 - Christmas Day Have a wonderful day however you choose to spend it.

Sunday 26th December - Day 2 - Boxing Day After the indulgences of Christmas Day, get that body moving and get out in the fresh air. If your body is feeling a bit stiff and out of kilter, try some stretching exercises. There are plenty on the Zest Wellbeing Hub www.zestwellbeinghub.com from Chiropractor Dr Laura Knowles.

Monday 27th December - Day 3 Yesterday was the warmup, so it’s time to move your body a bit more. If you’re not used to exercise, then it’s a great time to start. Whether it’s a gentle 10-minute session of yoga or something a bit more vigorous such as a HIIT workout, or even a trip to the gym. Your body will thank you for giving it a bit of TLC!

Tuesday 28th December - Day 4 Have a cleaner, healthier eating day today. Give the carbs and sugar a bit of a rest especially if you’re feeling as though your waistbands are getting a bit tighter!

Wednesday 29th December - Day 5 Treat your liver to a rest today if you’ve been over doing the alcohol.

Thursday 30th December - Day 6 Ditch the resolutions and create healthy habits. Plan 30 days ahead. Work out what you’re going to do, when and where you’re going to do it, and with whom.

Friday 31st December - Day 7 How was 2021 for you? Reflect on the past 12 months. What went well for you, what didn’t go so well. Think about what you’re going to keep doing, ditch or start doing. Tomorrow is goal planning day!

Saturday 1st January - Day 8 Happy New Year! What are your goals or aspirations for 2022? Think about what you want to achieve, what do you want to do, where you want to go, who do you want to see? Write them down and create a way to be accountable so that you can track your progress.

Sunday 2nd January - Day 9 Start getting into a healthy routine over the next few days before you head back to work – including getting to bed on time.

Monday 3rd January - Day 10 For some of you this may be the last day of the festive break. How are you feeling? Are you feeling energised and ready to rock and roll, or are you wishing you had another few days off? If you wish you’d done things differently, then make sure you plan your break differently next year.

Tuesday 4th January - Day 11 If you want to get super healthy for the beginning of the year, then may be try a 7-day detox. It doesn’t have to be hard core. Just cut out alcohol and carbs including fruit, watch your portion sizes, drink plenty of water and do a 30-minute work out every day.

Wednesday 5th January - Day 12 Now that the celebrations are over and if some of your goals were health related, think about what you could achieve in the next 30 days. For some 30 days is enough to instil a habit, especially if you do something every day towards it; whether it’s getting fitter, eating healthier, selfcare, or being more organised. Plan it and diarise it. To get started, book your space for Kickstart 2022 with Paul Whitnell on www.bita.ie/events